Signal for autos and other vehicles



J. ODONNELL, JR.

SIGNAL FOR AUTOS AND OTHER VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FiLED SEPT. 11. 1920.

LQSLIQLQQ. I Patented Got. 31, 1922 M U in"? 2 fatented @et. 31, 31922.

unite-o sir-ares Parent Fries.

JOHN ODONNELL, 33., 0F PHILADELPHIA, EENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR/ 01E ONE-HALF TO LOUIS BROl/VN, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SIGNAL FOR AUTOS AND ,G'IHEB VEHICLES,

Application filed September 11,, 1920. Serial No. 409,553.

To all whom/it may concern Be it known that l, J OHN ODONN'ELL, J11, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city andcounty of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have-invented a new and useful Signal for Autos and Uther Vehicles,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to signal for an auto or other vehicle adaptedto indicate to an approaching vehicle from the rear of the former the fact that the auto in advance is to turn to the right or left, stop or back, and it consists in adapting the wall of the body of the auto which is equipped with such signal to form light receiving chambers integral with said wall and support the signal member proper, the latter thus being illuminated by the light in said chambers providing a practical, efficient and inexpensive signalling device for the purpose intended, an important feature of which is the utilization of the wall of the body of the auto as a memberof the device, while the signal device may be flush with the portion of the wall of the body thatsurrounds it.

The invention issatisfac'torily illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but the important instrumentalities thereof may be varied, and so it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to thespecific details shown and described, as long as they are within the spirit or scope of the claims: Figure 1 represents a rear view of a por tion of the wall of the body of an automobile and a signal member connected'therewith embodying my invention.

Figure 2 represents a transverse horizontal section thereof on line 21-2 Figure 1.

Figure 3 represents a vertical section thereof on line 83 l.?igure 1.

Figure. 4 represents an elevation of the inner side of the portion of the wall of the body of the auto embodying my invention.

" Similar numerals of-reference' indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to'the drawings. 7 r i 1 designates a portion of the inner wall of the rear of the body of an automobile, but

li do not limit my invention thereto as it is applicable to other vehicles, said wall being constructed generally of sheet metal, andv said wall is struck up or stamped, swedged or otherwise depressed at certain portions thereof forming the series of chambers 2, 3, t and 5 which are adapted to receive electric lights 6, the wires or conductors of which extend from said lights to within reach of the chauffeur or driver and provided wit-h switches or push buttons so that either lamp may be energized or cut off as words for each of the chambers 2, 3, 4t and 5 whereby when a chamber is-illuminated by its electric light the words thereof are made visible to the occupant of a vehicle approaching the auto from the rear whereby the chaufieur or driver of said vehicle is signalled to know the action ,of the auto whether it is to turn to the right or to the left, to stop or to back.

The frame and the edge portions of the plate of glass are seated on the depressed shoulders 9 of the wall 1 formed by the struck up chambers 2, 3, 4t and 5 and so restedin position on saldwall the glass being held by the flange of the frame, as seen in Figures 2 and and the frame is connected with said wallby the hinge l0 and retained in closed position on the wall by the catch 11, it being evident that when the catch is turned the frame is releasedand it may be moved outwardly from the wall providing access to; the plate of glass to the chambers 2, 3, 4 and '5-andto theelectric the auto theback wall, of the body thereof is subjected to, a struck-up, stamping or swedging operation at certain places to depress. the material'ofsaid wall into the form "of the chambers 2, 3,4 and 5 which thus utilize said wall for thepurpose, and their margins crimp said material whereby said its chambers are strong and durable and they do not add Weight to said wall nor increase that of the body thereof. Furthermore, as said chambers are set back of the adjacent portions of the Wall of the body and the frame and the glass are set into said Wall, the frame and glass do not project beyond the Wall of the bodybut are flush therewith and so do not break the continuity of the all where the device is located, whilev the-v frame and glass fitting snugly in position on the depressed shoulders 9 are readily retained thereinby the hinge 10 and catch 11 which are not expensive nor injurious to the wall of the body at the places they-occupy.

The glass plate While providing for the illumination of the Words covers the chambers 2, 3, 4 and 5 in front, while the depressed walls of said chamberscomprise the rear closures of said chambers integral with the wall of which they are composed;

The outer terminalsv of the frame are" spear shaped to point to the direction the right or left, that a turnis to be made when the proper chamber is illuminated and a doubly pointed figure is formed at the centre toassist in indicating said direction.

The glass is supported centrally on the contiguous portion 12 of the Wall 1," and on adjacent its edge portions by the shoulders 9 of the chambers 2, 3', 4, and 5, which shoulders also support the contiguous portions of the.-

frame 8 the latter thus being flush with the portions of the Wall 1 as above stated. I

vplate.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by; Letters Patent, 'is 1- 1. A body having portions depressed at intervals vto form a series of chambers, a

transparent plate covering said chambers,

3. A body having portions depressed at intervals'to form a series of chambers, a transparent plate covering said chambers, electric lamps supported in the portion of the wall of said bodybetween said cham bers and extended into the latter, the por-- tion of said Wall between said chambers forming a support -forsaid ,transparemt- Y plate, said depressed portion having a' shoulder, and a flanged frame seated against said shoulder and embracing said transparent plate.

p v JQH'N ODONNELL, JR. Witnesses:

'JOHN- A. WIEDERSHEIM, N. BUSSINGER. 

